This invention relates to a method and apparatus to assist connecting and disconnecting high capacity batteries to and from battery powered vehicles, such as lift trucks and other materials handling vehicles.
In a typical warehouse operation, battery powered vehicles use battery packages that are often charged separately from the vehicle. For example, a lift truck may use a battery package for about 8 hours, and at the end of a shift, the battery package will be replaced with a freshly charged unit and the used battery package will be placed on a charger, thus permitting the vehicle to begin the next shift with a full source of power. Often, a given facility will use vehicles from different manufacturers, with all of the vehicles using the same batteries. Thus, a battery package may be used on one type of vehicle, recharged and then used on a vehicle from another manufacturer. Clearly, there is a need for an assist device separate from the connector that does not deter the standardization of the connectors used between the battery and the vehicle.
The most common connectors used between a rechargeable battery and a vehicle in the United States, and the one recommended by several battery manufacturers, are a pair of SB or SBX Series connectors made by Anderson Power Products, or an equivalent by other manufacturers. In other countries the SBX Series or similar connectors are often used. Two identical connectors are used, the first is connected to the cables attached to the vehicle's electrical system, the second is connected to the cables attached to the battery.
Since these connectors carry up to 350 amperes of current, they are often difficult to connect and disconnect, especially when this operation is carried out in a confined space. This is due to the size of the contacts and the spring loading applied to those contacts.
To assist with disconnecting the connector components, some connector manufacturers have developed disconnect aids or devices. One device is merely a handle bolted onto the battery connector. Another device is a hinged handle attached to the battery connector and a cooperating mounting component attached to the vehicle connector whereby rotation of the hinged handle moves the connector components together or apart.
The connectors themselves include a body having a pair of longitudinally extending channels or tubes through which the cables extend and which shield the contacts attached at the ends of the cables from inadvertent shorting. Between and integral with the channels is a central portion in which is formed two or more openings for receiving the mounting hardware for the disconnect devices.
The first or vehicle connector is often securely attached to the vehicle. However, the configuration of a bolted handle or other disconnect hardware, when attached to the second or battery side connector, can sometimes prevent that connector from being installed when the battery is used on other vehicles or in other applications because of space limitations, thereby necessitating the removal of the handle prior to using that particular battery. What is needed is a method and apparatus that permits the battery connector to be easily connected or disconnected from the vehicle connector without requiring any additional hardware to be mounted to the battery connector.